Weighing scale



May 26, 1953 A. G. BROWN 2,639,912

WEIGHING SCALE Filed June 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 IV WE 11lllllllluf '1 I i9 h 1720672502" flz'zdn w .firown y 6, 1953 A. G. BROWN2,639,912

WEIGHING SCALE Filed June 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A.G. BROWN WEIGHING SCALE May 26, 1953 Filed June 24, 1947 QZW027Z07flndreza fijirawif W A. G. BROWN WEIGHING SCALE May 26, 1953 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 24, 1947 I770 6/1502 Jndrew & .fi Jfiiiey May26, 1953 A. G. BROWN WEIGHING SCALE Filed June 24, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Jim/e2? zar find/e10 d .E 70607? Patented May 26, 1953 WEIGHING SCALEAndrew G. Brown, Maywood, Ill., assignor to The Griffith Laboratories,Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 24,1947, Serial No. 756,636

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to weighing scales, and in particular to aweighing scale suitable for use in pickling hams.

Percentage scales for pickling hams are now well-known. They function toindicate the weight of a ham placed thereon, and by operation of anadjustable element which relatively moves two indicators and a dialtherefor in such a way that one indicator registers a fixed per- Centageof the registration of the other indicator. In pickling hams the lowerregistering indicator is moved to indicate the actual weight of a ham onthe dial, whereby the other indicator registers a given percentageincrease in that weight. Pickling salt solution is pumped into the hamwhile it is in a registering position on the scale until the increasedweight of the ham brings the weight needle of the scale to aregistration coinciding with the registration of theincreased-percentage indicator.

Such scales are subject to much abuse, not only mechanically in placingthe hams on the scale and working with them, but also by environment.The atmosphere of the pickling room becomes more or less charged withbrine mist, and the scale itself becomes wetted with spilled brine.These surface and atmospheric conditions penetrate to the interior ofthe scale and tend to cause incipient and excessive cor-- rosion in themechanism. Not only that, but the whole scale itself is subject to beseriously corroded in time.

In the use of pickling scales, 9. fast picklingschedule is desired.Ordinary scale mechanisms are tardy in coming to equilibrium and restafter the placement of a ham on the platform, and it is essential inpercentage pickling that the weight needle come to rest before thepercentage indicators can be accurately positioned.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a new scalemechanism particularly suitable for the conditions prevailing in thepickling of hams.

It is also an object of the invention to minimize the number of partswhich, if corroded, can adversely affect the operation or accuracy ofthe scale.

A particular object of the invention is the provision of a scale withmechanism having certain parts especially resist-ant to corrosion, andof a structure and relation to the whole to permit them to be readilyreplaceable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a scale withweight-registering mechanism readily adapt-able for the addition theretoof a variable percentage mechanism.

The foregoing and other and ancillary objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following description andexplanation of the invention as set forth below in reference to thepresently preferred and exemplary embodiments thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the scale.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the scale platform showing the interiorconstruction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the scale taken on the line33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section of the scale crosswise of theplatform on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged and fragmentary view of the scale of Fig. 1 takenin front elevation and above the level of the platform.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a yoke member supporting the weighingplatform.

Fig. 7 is a detailed horizontal cross-section View of a post, of theyoke member of Fig. 6, said view being taken on line 'l-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing in vertical elevation on line 88 ofFig. 10, showing one view of a post bearing on its knife-edge support.

Fig. 9 is a detailed fragmentary view showing the mountings of the twoknife-edges associated with one side of a lever, and taken in ahorizontal plane on line 99 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical cross-section through the right handpost of Fig. 6 in the plane of the post supporting pivotal axis.

Fig. 11 is a detailed view showing in vertical cross-section the guidingstructure for the scale levers.

In general arrangement and construction the scale resembles prior artscales, and employs well-known elements found in the prior art. In theprior art, the scale platform has been hung by suspension devices insuch a manner that it has considerable play in all directions,especially in the direction of swing. In particular, it has been apractice heretofore to have the platform supports in the form of fourvertical posts, the bottom ends of each post being pivotally supportedby the lower end of a link pivotally hung at the top end on a knife-edgecarried by the conventional lever arms. Such a structure is shown inFig. 20 of Patent No. 1,290,415. In a pickling scale each such postpresents two pivot lines for corrosion. In use of such verticallysuspended platform supports, the platform has considerable play in thedirection of the swinging planes of the post linkage. As a result, aperiod of vibration in said direction is encountered when a ham isplaced on the platform, before the mechanism comes to rest. One featureof the present invention is the provision of a platform having thecharacter of a rigid weighing platform directly pivoted on scale leverarms. By such construction the said swinging time is practicallyeliminated. As a result of this and other features, the platform hassubstantially rigidity against any horizontal vibration.

Another feature of the scale is the provision of a circular dial withequal arcuate graduations thereon. Although the provision of suchregistering mechanism is old, it has particular utility for the picklingscale in that it is susceptible to combination therewith of a simplepercentage mechanism which is adjustable to vary the percentageindicated, as described in my copending application Serial No. 756,638,filed June 24, 1947, now Patent No. 2,571,415. The circular dial offersadvantages in a pickling scale, over prior art pickling scales havingthe fan-type of dial. In the latter the weight indicator is usually along needle which swings in a limited are compared to the weightindicator of a circular dial. the center of the indicator in a fan typeis well below the scale markings, and commonly is near the level of thescale platform. As a result, the associated parts of the fan-type scaleare located low in its body, and are thus more subjected to the brinemist which prevails most heavily at the lower levels. On the other hand,the needle center of a circular indicator must be higher, and the wholeunit may be readily elevated. Thus, a circular dial permits theregistering mechanism to be brought to a higher level in the scale bodywhere it is less subjected to corrosive environment.

In Fig. l the scale has a base casing l0, and connected thereto anupright casing H at its rear, which casing l l is topped by a roundedhead or dial casing l2 presenting at the front a circular dial [3 withequal arcuate graduations l4 circumferentially arranged behind weightindicator or needle 15. Percentage indicators in the form of pointersare indicated by the two triangular elements l1 and 18 shown in Fig. 1in full lines as having come together at the zero point of the scale.These are also shown in dotted-line positions l1 and w registering at [8a 20% increase of a 10 lb. ham which is indicated by the pointer at I1On the front of the casing 10 is a manually operated knob 19 which isturned by the operator to advance the two pointers l1 and I8 to anyspaced registration upwardly from zero on the dial 13. A featuredescribed in my copending application Serial No. 756,638, filed June 24,1947, now Patent No. 2,571,415, is the fact that the turning of knob I9is without a limit in either direction, thus not to be jammed. Itoperates in either direction to bring the percentage pointers to thedesired place.

The scale mechanisms for causing weight needle to register on dial [3may be any conventional structures adequate to register the physicaldisplacement of an inclined platform 20 having a grid 2i on whichmaterial is placed to be weighed. The inclined platform lets pickleliquor drain off. There is commonly a lever system and a registeringsystem. The lever system As a result within the scale which supports theplatform and transmits displacement to the registering system, is nowdescribed. Within the casing 10 there are front and rear horizontalcrossbars of channel form, indicated at 22 and 23 in Figs. 2 and 3.These are parallel to each other and are suitably secured to the sidewalls 24 and 25 of the casing, with the channel opening facing upwardly.These crossbars 22 and 23 provides four regions of support forconventional scale levers 26 and 21. Scale lever 25 is a bifurcatedframe, of which each bifurcated arm carries means providing a forwardhorizontal pivotal axis for the entire scale lever 26. Lever 25 isextended rearwardly of the scale as a single arm 28, which arm 28 has avertical movement transmitted to the registering system for weightneedle l5. Lever 21 is likewise bifurcated and swings vertically on arearward horizontal pivotal axis which is parallel with the pivotal axisof lever 26. The pivotal axis for the lever 26 is indicated in Fig. 3 asthe pivotally functioning knife-edge of the triangular element 30,preferably of hardened stainless steel elevated above its supportingcrossbar 22. In the same figure the pivotal axis of lever 21 is formedby the pivotally functioning knife-edge of similar triangular element 3|above crossbar 23. From their pivotal axis the levers 26 and 21 approacheach other and midway between the pivot axes 30 and 3|, and at equal armlengths, the two arms are pivotally linked together by a ribbon-formlink 33 hanging on fixed pivot 34 carried by the lever 2628. A similarpivot 35 carried by the lever arm 21 is suspended by link 33 from thepivot 34. Link 33 and pivots 34 and 35 are of stainless steel. Thus, theweight lever 21 is suspended from the upper and longer weight lever26-28. The end of lever 28 is held upwardly by counterbalancingsuspending means later to be described, thus to hold the arms 26 and 21in the position shown in Fig. 3. Dampening means is employed to resistrapid downward movement. This is represented by a dash-pot 31 which hasa cylinder carrying a piston 38 linked by piston rod 39 to the arm 28 atthe pivot 48. The foregoing general combination is a conventional one.

The particular mechanism for mounting the pivots for the levers 26 and21 respectively on the crossbars 22 and 23, is the same for each pivotlocation, and is described only with reference to the knife-edge 30. InFigs. 2 and 3, there are shown two opposing vertical lugs 42 secured tothe inside of the channel crossbar 22 and extending upwardly from it toprovide fixed brackets for a pivotal pin 43 fixedly mounted therein.Freely swinging on the pin 43 is a yoke 44 generally M- shaped, with itsindented top 45 providing a V- shaped trough or cradle at the bottom ofwhich the said triangular piece or knife-edge 30 has its knife-edgefulcrum. The knife-edge 30 is carried by the bifurcations of lever 26 asshown in Fig. 9, wherein one end of the steel knife-edge is swedged toform a head 30.

The four bifurcated pivoted extremities of the levers 26 and 21 providefour pivotal supports for means carrying the Weighing platform 20. Thetwo bifurcations of the arm 25 provide on horizontal pivotal axis inwhich is the functioning knife-edge of a triangular element 46 (Figs. 3and 9). On the pivotal line of knife-edge 46 there is fulcrumed atspaced locations, vertical post supports for the platform 20. There isthus a fixed distance between the lines of the parallel pivotal axesformed by the respective knife-edges 30 and 46.

Forwardly from the pivotal line of the knife edge 3! for the rear leverarm 2! there isa second horizontal pivotal axis in which is thefunctioning knife-edge of the triangular piece 47 (Fig. 3), comparableto and for the same purpose as the pivotal line of the forwardknife-edge 46. The location of the pivotal axis of knife-edge 41 forwardof the parallel pivotal axis of knife-edge Si is the same as thedistance between the corresponding knife-edges at the forward lever 26.The knife-edges 41 are mounted like the knifeedges 46, as described withreference to Fig. 9.

In Fig. 9, a plate 48 is fixed to the outside vertical wall 26 of lever26, as by a screw 49. Vertical side walls 26 and 26 have suitable holes(not designated) therein which receive the knife edge with a driven iitto locate the axis in accurate position and alinement. Plate 48 presseson the enlarged heads of the knife-edges 20 and 46. Inside the channelion 1 of lever 25 over the knife-edge it are two stainless steelspacer-rings 5D and 5| and between them a hardened stainless steelbearing plate 52 riding on the upwardly pointing knife-edge 45. Thisplate 52 is carried by a post for supporting the platform.

The platform 2c is vertically supported by four vertical post members,comparable to the four braced legs of a table, and these four legs restwith the forward pair on the pivotal axis of the knife-edge 4%, whilethe rearward pair rests upon the pivotal axis of the knife-edge 4?. Thisis practically a fixed support, but owing to the displacement of thelevers 2t and 21 in weighing, there is a slight degree of pivotalmovement of said posts on said -knife-edges'46 and ll. The knife-edges4S and t? support four bearing plates like the plate 52 associated withthe four vertical supports of the platform 20. In order to give rigidityto the platform structure, and to aline the spaced bearing plates, theforward pair of the supporting vertical posts, and likewise the rearwardpair, are respectively joined together below the said fulcrum regions.This is effected by the provision of yokes as shown in Fig. 6 comprisinga horizontal channel member BU terminating in two back-to-back verticalchannel or post members 6| and 62, the parts being secured together, asby a screw t3 (see Figs. 6 and 10). Where the channel bottoms of theelements iii and 62 come together at the top of each post,

they are deformed to provide circular openings indicated at 65 and 6?,and further deformed below the opening to house a nut such as nut 69 inFig. 10. The openings 66 and 61 are each for the receipt of a screw orbolt indicated at T0 in Fig. 10 and locked in place by said nut 69. Thebolts l0 anchor crossbars l3 and 14 of channel form to the tops of thetwo supporting yokes such as is shown in Fig. 6, thus to give additionalrigidity to the resulting closed frames. The vertical posts on one sideare longer than on the other side to give inclination to the platform.To these crossbars l3 and '54 the platform 20 is rigidly secured as bythe screws 15 shown in Figs. 1 and i.

The means for providing a pivotal relation between the posts whichsupport the platform, and the pair of lever arms may vary. Inasmuch asthe preferred manner is to provide a knife-edge fulcrum, the area ofcontact for the knife-edge is preferably provided by the flat horizontalbearing plates 52 above described. Accordingly, each bearing plate 52 iscarried by a post which supports the platform. As shown in Fig. 6, thereis a hole 89 through the webs of the two channel pieces 6| and 62forming the post. Plate 62 has a driven fit in the hole which is overlylarge to allow the knife-edge 46 or 4'! to pass through with space tospare, and holes 80 serve to limit movement of the platform by thesliding of plates 52 on the knife-edges 46 and 41. Fig. '7 shows adetail of a post in horizontal cross-section at the top level of plate52. The same structure prevails at each of the posts to prevent movementof the entire scale platform from side to side of the scale as itappears in Fig. 1. However, this prevention of movement is directly withreference to the scale levers, and full prevention depends also uponholding the scale levers from movement lengthwise of their axes.

The scale levers 26 and 21 are positioned on their axes in a manner toprevent movement lengthwise of the axes by adjustable means. This ismore particularly illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 11. On the crossbar 22along side the inner edges of th bifurcated arms of lever 26 are thebrackets 9! each of which has a horizontal portion 52 secured by screws93 to crossbars 22 or 23 through elongated slots 94. Thus, the bracketsare adjustable in lateral position. They are adjusted with reference tothe distance between the inner edges of the bifurcated ends of the leverarms 26 or 2'! so that there is a slight clearance to minimise friction.These brackets act as .centering devices to keep the lever arms 26 and21 from crawling axially. Additionally, a fine adjustment may also beused in the form of screw 95 presenting fiat face 96 on an enlargedhead, with its stem threaded into bracket 9| and locked by nut ti. Theedge of a flange 98 on lever side wall 25 is sharpened to bear on head96 with a minimum of friction. Above the said riding sur-- face, thebracket BI is bent to horizontal position 99, providing a vertical stopagainst accidental upward movement of the pivoted end of the lever fromits cradles. There are two such brackets at each lever, as shown in Fig.2, and these are adjusted so that the pairs of faces 96 position thepivots so (or 3|) with easy clearance, and hence position the levers,and resultingly fix the plat:

form.

The remaining portion of the scale is conventional in form, and is onlybriefly. described.

Rearwardly of the scale, as shown in Fig. 2, the

arm 2:; ha one end designated I00 which is connected to a conventionalcounterbalancing device shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Arm 28 also has alateral offset extension IEH which is connected to a reg- .isteringmechanism.

Upwardly in the vertical portion of the casing ll there is a crossbarfrom which is suspended 9. depending bracket I03 providing front andrear vertical bifurcations I06 and H11. Between these is an axial pinI08 on which rotate counterbalancing means. These are best shown in Fig.5. They constitute a pair, and are similarly constructed, and movable inreverse directions. On the pin I08 there is a rotatable segment H0having an arcuate face Ill concentric with pin [08, and on this facethere is a steel tape H2 secured by screw H3. A downward pull on tape H2rotates the segment counterclockwise in Fig. 5 causing the weightedextension of said segment designated H4 to be raised arcuately about thecenter N18. The companion piece is likewise weighted at H5 and movesclockwise when its tape H6 is pulled downwardly. The tapes are connectedto a horizontal bar H8 by adjustable connection means H9. Said bar H8has a depending yoke or U-shaped bracket I20 bearing a plate I 2I with aconical recess tapering downwardly. Into this recess rests a pin I22which is carried by the extension I of the lever arm 28.

As shown in Fig. there is a drum I25 which carries the weight indicatorI5. The drum has two tapes secured to it. One of the tapes I26 carriesweight I21, and of course this weight is effective to supplement thecounterbalancing action of the weighted extensions H4 and H5. The othertape I2I on drum I25 is connected to a substantially linear extensionthereof in the form of a rigid link I28 pivoted at I29 to a second linkI30 which in turn is pivoted at I3I to a bracket I32 carried by the sidewall I I (Fig. 5). A substantially vertical link I35, best shown in Fig.3, is pivoted at its upper end at I36 to the link I30. Link I is a flatmember which is twisted at I38 to provide the portion I39 to which issecured a yoke member I40 having a conical recess I4I to receive pin I42carried by the extension IOI of lever arm 28. Thus, depression of thearm 28, by means of an article on the platform 20, causes downwardmovement of the yokes I20 and I40 in the rear casing, respectivelymoving the principal counterbalancing system and operating thecounterbalanced weight-indicator needle I5.

These parts in the rear casing are walled off from the open space in thecasing I0 by the internal partition I0 (Fig. 3) having a limited openingI0 therein only sufiiciently large to accommodate the movement of thearm 28. This partition coupled with substantially complete closure ofthe casing portions II and I2 serves to keep saline mist away from thecounterbalancing and registering means, and to that extent prolong thelife of the scale.

By providing the eight knife-edge pivots, and their fulcrums, and otherbearing parts, of stainless steel, the expected corrosion of theimportant 'coacting elements is minimized and life is prolonged. Also,these parts are simple in structure and may be readily replaced inrepairing or rebuilding a scale. Some of the features of constructionabove described do not essentially improve the operation of the scale,as a delicate mechanical device, but they do function to add life to thescale in corrosive environment, to permit repair and rebuilding at lowcost, and to give long life with accuracy sufficient for the specialpurpose of the scale. Other features improve operation of the scale asalready described.

The scale illustrated and described is subject 8 to numerous changes andmodifications, and such are contemplated as falling within the scope ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a scale having two opposed lever arms pivotally mounted on parallelhorizontal axes, pivotally linked together at equal arm lengths, andcounterbalanced, the combination therewith of two spaced upwardlypresented knife-edges coaxially alined on one lever arm on an axisparallel with and at an arms length from the pivotal axis of said leverarm, two spaced upwardly directed knife-edges co-axially alined on thesecond lever arm in parallelism with and at the same arms length fromthe axis of said second lever arm, each knife-edge being mounted nearits ends in its carrying arm under an opening in said arm for a verticalsupport pivotally bearing on the knife-edge, a weighing platform, fourvertical supports for said platform each passing through one of saidopenings and each in turn having an opening intermediate its endsthrough which passes the corresponding knife-edge, a knife-edge bearingcarried by each of said vertical supports within its said opening andresting on one of said four knife-edges in support of said platform, andspaced rings about each knifeedge within its supported ends fixedrelative to the lever arm and just clearing the ends of the bearing toavoid friction thereby to prevent substantial relative axial movement ofeach bearing and its knife-edge.

ANDREW G. BROWN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,290,415 Triner Jan. 7, 1919 1,359,470 Spinello Nov. 16, 19201,553,503 Brown Sept. 15, 1925 1,600,155 Wetzel Sept. 14, 1926 1,759,886Bousfield May 27, 1930 2,006,864 Klosterman July 2, 1935 2,049,632Sutton Aug. 4, 1936 2,061,271 Eschenbacher Nov. 17, 1936 2,069,757Hansen Feb. 9, 1937 2,073,912 Walker Mar. 16, 1937 2,098,846 Weber Nov.9, 1937 2,258,648 Hadley Oct. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 585,862 France Mar. 9, 1925

